Need structure? Want to find camaraderie? Tired of writing in solitude? Join our virtual office space. At TPR someone is always in the cubicle next to you.

Here's how the practice room works:

First of all, EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

At the given date and time (weekly schedule posted below), meet at post 1. It appears 30 minutes in advance of the hour (barring unusual circumstances), giving us a chance to set our goals in the comments. Declare your goal. Work toward furthering your project; word counting, revision, or whatever it needs - you decide.

Post 2: WE ARE UNPLUGGED! announces our hour. During that time, we write! The rules: no procrastinations. Please feel free to make tea or stand on your head as needed.

When the time is up, Post 3 appears with a chat box and we will get a chance to converse, or you can comment old-style to tell us what you got done! We are dying to know!

Read about a typical first time here. I make the schedule every Sunday. It will remain up in the side bar until I post the next week's schedule (feel free to make requests for particular times in the comments - I take them into serious consideration). All additions will be noted in in the side bar. Come back and check it often. (The schedule times are listed in Eastern Time Zone but the blog posts in Central - Tina's time zone. Our visitors are from all over the map.)

Please email me with questions, comments, or just to introduce yourself! tina dot laurel at gmail dot com

Don't forget to sign the guestbook at the bottom of the page!


Apr 19, 2010

Reconvention!

So, do tell! What happened?

This chat will only be here for the first hour after we practice. After closing out our chat, I will publish the highlights on this post to save for posterity. This is our first time trying. We will see how it goes!! If all else fails, please resort to comments.

UPDATE: Our first Chat: The Highlights

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
tinalee: Did you get anything done folks!

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
HeatherKelly: Hi Marisa!

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
tinalee: Welcome Marisa!

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
elegantsnobbery: Hi!

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
elegantsnobbery: I'm late b/c I had to open a chatroll account

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
tinalee: sorry.

Apr 19 2010, 12:04 PM
HeatherKelly: I know--it takes a minute.

Apr 19 2010, 12:05 PM
tinalee: I thought I had figured out how to just let folks join without.

Apr 19 2010, 12:05 PM
tinalee: guess not.

Apr 19 2010, 12:05 PM
elegantsnobbery: so how did everyone do?

Apr 19 2010, 12:05 PM
jonarntson: I did...wellish

Apr 19 2010, 12:05 PM
elegantsnobbery: I didn't do as well as I hoped... but they day is young

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
tinalee: I am not as fluid as I was last week. But I got some words down. And that is at least the right direction. Tried mapping but it was uninspired.

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
elegantsnobbery: I'll be kicking my kids into the backyard so I can finish my goal for the day

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
tinalee: Yes. I'm with you marisa!

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
tinalee: The day is young.

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
elegantsnobbery: I need to figure out this mapping thing. I like the sound of it

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
tinalee: J what is wellish?

Apr 19 2010, 12:06 PM
elegantsnobbery: Is it like a brainstorm web?

Apr 19 2010, 12:07 PM
tinalee: The mapping thing just involves picturing your manuscript without words.

Apr 19 2010, 12:07 PM
HeatherKelly: I have to say, I'm really distracted by all the people around me right now. Not getting a lot done.

Apr 19 2010, 12:08 PM
tinalee: So anyway that releases you from the words. Sometimes they are so concrete and left brain.

Apr 19 2010, 12:08 PM
elegantsnobbery: Heather, I know how you feel. My kids have been singing into a microphone and I have to blast my headphones just to tune them out

Apr 19 2010, 12:08 PM
jonarntson: Wellish is not bad, not well, but just above okay.

Apr 19 2010, 12:08 PM
tinalee: I don't really have a good form.

Apr 19 2010, 12:09 PM
elegantsnobbery: Tina - a release from words... I like that idea!

Apr 19 2010, 12:09 PM
tinalee: I picture you being so good at it because of your beautiful drawings.

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
jonarntson: I rewrote half of my first chapter

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
HeatherKelly: J--that's great.

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
tinalee: That sounds really wellish!

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
elegantsnobbery: Wow, awesome, Jon!!
\
Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
jonarntson: Yes, but I think I've already to scrap it and try again, just to see.

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
jonarntson: decided*

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
tinalee: Practice makes perfect.

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
elegantsnobbery: I don't know if I'd be good at it. My writing and my art have always been so separate

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
HeatherKelly: I think my problem is that my mom and husband are here today, so I didn't put on my headphones--so I wouldn't be rude, and I just can't focus.

Apr 19 2010, 12:10 PM
tinalee: That is interesting to me.

Apr 19 2010, 12:11 PM
tinalee: It makes sense too, but I always want to fuse them in my head.

Apr 19 2010, 12:11 PM
jonarntson: Heather, you answer to no one, so don't call it a problem.

Apr 19 2010, 12:11 PM
HeatherKelly: right.

Apr 19 2010, 12:11 PM
tinalee: HK-- I think it is awesome that you are doing it anyway.

Apr 19 2010, 12:12 PM
tinalee: You are quite amazing by my standards.

Apr 19 2010, 12:12 PM
elegantsnobbery: I agree with Tina! So great that you tried at all, with so many distractions, H!

Apr 19 2010, 12:12 PM
HeatherKelly: Thanks.

Apr 19 2010, 12:15 PM
tinalee: how is this chat feature. Compare it to leaving comments.

Apr 19 2010, 12:15 PM
jonarntson: I like not having to refresh every ten seconds

Apr 19 2010, 12:15 PM
HeatherKelly: I like the instant gratification of the chat.

Apr 19 2010, 12:15 PM
tinalee: yes. me too.

Apr 19 2010, 12:15 PM
jonarntson: I wish the noise wasn't so annoying

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
elegantsnobbery: I don't have the noise on

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
HeatherKelly: mine is off.

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
tinalee: I turned off the noise.

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
elegantsnobbery: I like the chat

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
tinalee: I thought I did that for everyone.

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
jonarntson: Then i get sidetracked with my other ten million projects and forget about you guys and then can't catch up.

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
tinalee: how was the signing in?

Apr 19 2010, 12:16 PM
jonarntson: Easy for me

elegantsnobbery: I signed up and it instantly signed me in
[Delete]
Apr 19 2010, 12:17 PM
tinalee: I never remember to do that.

Apr 19 2010, 12:17 PM
tinalee: so it was quick and painless, marisa?

Apr 19 2010, 12:17 PM
elegantsnobbery: yeah, only took a minute

Apr 19 2010, 12:17 PM
HeatherKelly: that's good.

Apr 19 2010, 12:18 PM
tinalee: It is also free up to twentyfive people.

Apr 19 2010, 12:18 PM
elegantsnobbery: And I had to pick my ES name or else I wouldn't remember it next time I try to sign in

Apr 19 2010, 12:18 PM
jonarntson: So don't get too popular.

Apr 19 2010, 12:18 PM
tinalee: I know! seriously.

Apr 19 2010, 12:18 PM
elegantsnobbery: wow, a 25 person chat would confuse me

Apr 19 2010, 12:18 PM
tinalee: This is kind of a perfect amount of people.

WE ARE UNPLUGED!

Unpluggage hour is from 12 PM (est) until 1 PM. Meet you back here then!

Unpluggage begins at 12 Eastern.

Please set your goals in the comments! What are you going to work on?